Groundnut Stew My Way

Ghana inspired me! Groundnuts=#peanuts and peanut butter stew or soup, nkantenkwan is really important stuff. Ghanaians love this in their chop bars or neighborhood cantinas. The delicious one below was made in a fantastic chop bar in Kumasi named Cece’s in the capital of the Asante kingdom and heartland. Peanut soup in the South started out as nkantekwan in Ghana and maafe in Senegal and Gambia.

Take all those seasonings and blend them together until liquefied. Place in a dish, spread over chicken and marinade several hours to overnight.

Step 2:

2 tablespoons of palm oil

2 cups of vegetable or beef broth

1 cup of unsweetened peanut butter

2 large chopped tomatoes or one 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

2-3 bay leaves

2-3 sprigs of thyme

In a large Dutch oven take two tablespoons of palm oil and heat it to melting. Add chicken and sauté and sear for about 20 minutes over medium heat. Add a little liquid if it starts to brown too much.

Add 2 cups of vegetable or beef broth, 1 cup of unsweetened peanut butter, and 2 large chopped tomatoes or 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes and stir well. Add a few sprigs of thyme and 2-3 bay leaves. Cook on a low and slow slimmer for 45 minutes. Stir for about 3 minutes every 15 minutes. It should be reduced by over one third.

OPTIONAL:

Ok..heres where I will get my butt kicked. I don’t like smoked fish. But I get that you need another flavor element that is earthy and marine. 2 tsps of bonito flakes, seaweed flakes, ground crayfish or shrimp, or 1 tablespoon of oyster or mushroom sauce gives you that background umami most often savored through the use of smoked fish in stew. If you choose to add it to your pot, give it another 10 minutes. Serve with fufu or over cooked rice. Serves 4-6 or 2 Ghanaians.

Made this tonight. It was fantastic and very satisfying. My watched me prepping and said “More garlic! More piri-piris! That must be the recipe for the White folks.” Other than that she said it reminded her of Africa and loved it.

It got us thinking, though. Did tomatoes replace some native solonaceous fruit in West Africa?

WHRO Curate 757 Season 2, Ep. 7

The culinary arts are one of the most enjoyable art forms around because food can be enjoyed with all five senses. This week, as we explore art that reflects culture, we will talk with Williamsburg culinary historian and author Michael Twitty who has made it his mission to document African American food history. #Curate757